Top Marks for VARTA® Start-Stop Plus

Written on August 14, 2013 at 11:50 am

The best battery for vehicles with advanced Start-Stop technology and regenerative braking is the VARTA Start-Stop Plus, according to the latest survey by ADAC (German Automobile Club) and the Stiftung Warentest, the German consumer organisation which carries out impartial comparative product tests.

Not only did the VARTA Start-Stop Plus with AGM technology take top spot in a cross-market survey, the judges also rated the VARTA Start-Stop with EFB technology – designed for vehicles with standard Start-Stop functions – as “good”.

The ADAC and Stiftung Warentest joined forces to put the two VARTA batteries through their paces against five other Start-Stop batteries from well known manufacturers. Both excelled, with the VARTA Start-Stop Plus achieving the top score against two other AGM batteries.

The judges’ verdict is that conventional batteries are not suitable for modern vehicles with Start-Stop technology. According to the ADAC, normal wet-cell batteries are not able to cope with being left running for such long periods, leading to failure.

Johnson Controls, the manufacturer of VARTA batteries, advises motorists to always use batteries specifically designed for vehicles with Start-Stop technology to prevent premature battery failure.

With AGM technology, almost all the battery acid is held within a glass-fibre mat. This means that AGM batteries boast a considerably longer service life and are known for their outstanding performance. The VARTA Start-Stop Plus battery is completely leak-proof, 100% maintenance-free and has three times as much cyclic stability as conventional batteries. These properties are of particular importance when fuel-saving and regenerative braking technologies are involved.

The VARTA Start-Stop battery with EFB (Enhanced Flooded Battery) technology was specially developed for basic Start-Stop functions found in such popular small cars as the Fiat 500 and Toyota Yaris. This technology restarts the engine in a fraction of a second and ensures a reliable power supply even when the engine is switched off. It also boasts twice the cyclic stability of conventional batteries, meaning it can be discharged more deeply without suffering any loss in functionality.